Mapping and interpretation of Sinlap crater on Titan using Cassini VIMS and RADAR data - IRFU-AIM Accéder directement au contenu
Article Dans Une Revue Journal of Geophysical Research. Planets Année : 2008

Mapping and interpretation of Sinlap crater on Titan using Cassini VIMS and RADAR data

Michael Janssen
Jason Barnes
Robert Brown
Kevin Baines
Bonnie Buratti
Roger Clark
Ralf Jaumann
Laurence Soderblom
  • Fonction : Auteur

Résumé

Only a few impact craters have been unambiguously detected on Titan by the Cassini-Huygens mission. Among these, Sinlap is the only one that has been observed both by the RADAR and VIMS instruments. This paper describes observations at centimeter and infrared wavelengths which provide complementary information about the composition, topography, and surface roughness. Several units appear in VIMS false color composites of band ratios in the Sinlap area, suggesting compositional heterogeneities. A bright pixel possibly related to a central peak does not show significant spectral variations, indicating either that the impact site was vertically homogeneous, or that this area has been recovered by homogeneous deposits. Both VIMS ratio images and dielectric constant measurements suggest the presence of an area enriched in water ice around the main ejecta blanket. Since the Ku-band SAR may see subsurface structures at the meter scale, the difference between infrared and SAR observations can be explained by the presence of a thin layer transparent to the radar. An analogy with terrestrial craters in Libya supports this interpretation. Finally, a tentative model describes the geological history of this area prior, during, and after the impact. It involves mainly the creation of ballistic ejecta and an expanding plume of vapor triggered by the impact, followed by the redeposition of icy spherules recondensed from this vapor plume blown downwind. Subsequent evolution is then driven by erosional processes and aeolian deposition.
Fichier principal
Vignette du fichier
sinlap_paper_v21_published.pdf (782.44 Ko) Télécharger le fichier
Origine : Fichiers éditeurs autorisés sur une archive ouverte

Dates et versions

hal-03657639 , version 1 (03-05-2022)

Licence

Copyright (Tous droits réservés)

Identifiants

Citer

Stéphane Le Mouélic, Philippe Paillou, Michael Janssen, Jason Barnes, Sébastien Rodriguez, et al.. Mapping and interpretation of Sinlap crater on Titan using Cassini VIMS and RADAR data. Journal of Geophysical Research. Planets, 2008, 113 (E4), pp.E04003. ⟨10.1029/2007je002965⟩. ⟨hal-03657639⟩
542 Consultations
202 Téléchargements

Altmetric

Partager

Gmail Facebook X LinkedIn More